- Sridhar Vembu said Zoho does not require a college degree for any job role
- He urged Indian parents to let children choose their own career paths without pressure
- Vembu highlighted talent and curiosity as more important than formal degrees
Sridhar Vembu, co-founder and CEO of Zoho Corporation, said that his company doesn't require a college degree for any job role. He also urged Indian parents to allow their children to build their own paths, rather than pressuring them to pursue higher education.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vembu wrote, "Smart American students now skip going to college and forward-thinking employers are enabling them."
Vembu believes talent and curiosity matter far more than a piece of paper. By skipping college, young people can avoid heavy debt and gain real-world skills, reflecting "real youth power".
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"This is going to be a profound cultural shift. This is the real 'youth power', enabling young men and women to stand on their own feet, without having to incur heavy debt to get a degree and paying their own way. This trend will change the way they view the world and it will change culture and politics."
He urged Indian parents to recognise this cultural shift and let their children explore alternative paths. "I would urge educated Indian parents and high schoolers, as well as leading companies to pay attention," he suggested.
"At Zoho, no job requires a college degree and if some manager posts a job that requires a degree, they get a polite message from HR to remove the degree requirement!" he said.
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Social Media Reaction
"This is exactly the mindset we need in India too. Talent, curiosity, and grit matter far more than a piece of paper. Companies that empower young people to learn on the job, like Zoho, are shaping the future of work and leadership," said Dr Akkshye Tulsyan, who is the Honorary Consul of Namibia and an industrialist and investor, in the comment section.
"I had an intern in summer . Typically sharp 2nd gen ABCD kid from a very well to do family. It was his end of 1st year in business major with IT minor. Explosive talent and very AI native on tools. I too mentored him rather well to do multiple roles daily in a 2 hr shift 1/n," a techie wrote.
"College is purely there for social entertainment," one user commented.
